..Says Buhari trusted him fully, recalls toughest moments in office

Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said he was “paralysed for days’’ when he received news of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s death, describing the loss as one of the most painful moments of his life.

Mohammed disclosed this while explaining the inspiration behind his new book, Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration.

He said the tragedy pushed him to dedicate an entire chapter of the book to the late president.

“I began writing the book in June, about a month before he passed. When he died, I was paralysed for days. When I recovered, I decided to devote a whole chapter to him,” he said.

Speaking on AIT in an interview, the former minister said the book documents critical decisions, crises and communication battles during the Buhari administration, offering what he called “an insider’s account of government”.

“It captures my eight years in office, from information management to national orientation. My aim is to help future generations understand governance beyond the distorted narratives often seen in public debates,” he said.

Mohammed added that he felt a duty to document events, stressing: “History repeats itself because public office holders don’t share lessons from their experiences. I will be failing posterity if I do not put these stories on record.”

He also emphasised the importance of Africans telling their own stories. According to him, the book explains how misinformation often overshadowed facts during Buhari’s tenure.

The book will be presented on December 17, which Mohammed said was deliberately chosen to mark Buhari’s first posthumous birthday.

“If he were alive, he would have turned 83 that day,” he said.

Mohammed described Buhari as a leader who never micromanaged his ministers, recalling only one instance when the former president asked him for a personal favour.

“In eight years, he only asked me for one favour — to deliver a paper on his behalf at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs,” he said.

He insisted that contrary to public perception, Buhari was neither detached nor uninvolved in national issues.

“Anyone who worked closely with him knows he was always in charge. Except when he was ill, he presided over Council meetings effectively and had strong institutional memory,” he said.

Mohammed revealed that the EndSARS protests were his toughest period in office, saying the backlash extended to his family.

“My wife and children were bullied online and offline. Their businesses were boycotted. They were unhappy and felt I brought the pressure on them,” he said.

According to him, the situation got so tense that the family held a meeting and agreed that he should resign. “I seriously considered it,” he added.

He dismissed claims that he stayed because of the benefits of office.

“In my time, no minister earned up to N900,000 monthly. My salary, including feeding and housing allowances, was N860,000. People assume ministers live in luxury, but that’s exaggerated,” he said.

Responding to accusations that he frequently lied while defending the administration, he insisted that his role was to present facts and national context.

“You may disagree with my position, but it is hard to fault my facts. Many people attacked me simply because I was loyal to the president,” he said.

Mohammed said he remains proud to have served Buhari, describing him as “a good leader, mentor and friend”.